Adjustable chair.



R. RAMSEY.

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR. I

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15. 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

MufweW ZJ RICE.

ROBERT RAMSEY, 0F PORTLAND, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Application filed May 15, 1909. Serial No. 496,303.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RoBERr RAMsEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Portland, in the county of Tonia and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAdjustable Chairs, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to chairs of that type in which the back sectionis adjustable to various inclinations, and is provided with lockingmechanism operable by the occupant of the chair.

The invention consists in certain features of construction ashereinafter set forth.

In the drawingsFigure l is a vertical longitudinal section through aportion of the seat and back frame of a chair to which my improvementsare applied; Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof.

A is the seat frame, having the rear rail B, and C is the back framepivotally connected at D to said seat frame, preferably by a hingedfitting E upon an arm rest F.

G are springs for raising the back section to an upright position, andwhich are secured to the rear rail B of the seat frame and to a rail Hof the back frame.

I is a bracket arm secured to the rails H of the back frame centrallythereof, and

provided with a downwardly and rearwardly extending portion J, whichterminates in a forwardly-projecting segmental portion K substantiallyconcentric to the pivot of the hinge. This segmental portion Kpreferably extends through an aperture L in the rear rail B, and isprovided upon one side with a series of notches or teeth H.

N is a detent for engaging the teeth M, and which is secured to the rearrail B preferably on the inside thereof. This detent is preferably ofthe form shown comprising a latch arm 0 pivotally connected at P to afitting Q screwed or otherwise secured to the rail B, while the lowerend of said latch arm engages a slotted keeper R secured to the loweredge of the rail B. The member N is further provided with an arm S whichextends obliquely to one of the side rails T of the seat framepreferably engaging a groove U therein.

TV is a rod extending downward through the rail T and secured to the armS by the ball-and-socket engagement V. The upper end of this rod isprovided with a ring or other operating handle X.

Y is a spring secured to the latch arm 0 and anchored at Z to the rearrail B.

Vith the construction just described, the tension of the spring Y willnormally hold the detent in engagement with. the teeth M of the segmentK, and will thus rigidly lock the back section from movement. Thisdetent may, however, be released by pulling upward on the ring X whichby raising the arm S rocks the latch lever O to release the teeth of thesegment, after which the back section may be adjusted either forward orrearward. Upon releasing the ring X, the spring Y will immediatelyreengage the detent and hold the parts in their adjusted position. i

The construction is an exceedingly simple and inexpensive one tomanufacture, comprising the members I and N, which may be cast, and afew auxiliary parts, Q, R, W and Y. At the same time, the device ispositive in its operation, and when once locked cannot becomeaccidentally disengaged.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

In a chair, the combination with a seat section provided with a rearrail, of a back section pivotally connected to said seat section, an armcentrally secured to said back section and extending downwardly andrearwardly therefrom terminating in a forwardly-extending toothedsegmental portion substantially concentric with the pivotal connectionof said back section, and a detent member for engaging said toothedsegment comprising a latch arm pivotally connected to the inner face ofsaid rear rail, and an oblique arm extending from said latch arm to theside rail of said seat section, a spring for drawing said latch arm intoengagement with said toothed segment, and a pull rod for raising saidoblique arm to disengage the detent.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT RAMSEY.

Witnesses:

W. J. BELKNAP,

JAMES P. BARRY.

